Missouri legend Derrick Cheivous gets emotional during his speech after being inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame on Thursday afternoon. Bruce E. Stidham/for the News-Leader

Written by

One came from the bright lights of Las Vegas, the other from the concrete jungle of New York City. Though separated in age by a decade, both shared a common bond while playing basketball in central Missouri for a legendary coach.

Both Willie Smith and Derrick Chievous could score, and how, during their careers for the Missouri Tigers.

"Nobody could stop him," Jon Sundvold, himself a pretty fair player at Mizzou, said of Las Vegas' Smith. The lefty-shooting guard who earned the nickname "Mr. Magic" during his time in Columbia from 1974-76 after transferring from a junior college. ...